Today I sat down with Vanessa Williams, Senior Creative Director and Brand Marketer who has worked at Amazon, Google, YouTube, Meta, Square, and fintech startups, to discuss how the world’s biggest brands actually plan campaigns, evaluate creators, and decide who gets partnership opportunities.

We talk about campaign strategy, creator selection, relationship building with brand decision-makers, and negotiating creator partnerships. Vanessa also shares how marketing teams think about budgets and why staying top of mind matters more than most creators realize.

If you're a creator trying to land more brand partnerships—or understand how marketers make partnership decisions—this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the systems, people, and processes driving creator opportunities.

Connect with Vanessa on TikTok/Instagram @vanessabuysblack, or on LinkedIn at Vanessa Williams.

You can find me on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or LinkedIn. You can also join my email list for exclusive content and announcements: https://forms.gle/NYDFjWdwP9gCsSWWA.

Psstt: Show notes for this episode are available for purchase at learnwithkubi.gumroad.com.

Today I sat down with Alexis Pullum, Influencer Partnerships Manager at Agency Habitat, to break down why so many creators struggle to build sustainable careers through brand partnerships and what actually separates creators who get overlooked from creators who build long-term opportunities.

We talk about authenticity in the creator economy, why engagement matters more than follower count, how creators unintentionally hurt their trust with audiences, and the reality behind affiliate programs, seeding, and paid partnerships. Alexis also shares how creators can position themselves more strategically and why community-building is becoming more important than virality.

If you’re a creator trying to turn content creation into a long-term career—or build partnerships without relying purely on views—this episode gives you a clearer understanding of how sustainable creator growth actually happens.

More Resources

Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn or Instagram, and learn more about Agency Habitat at agencyhabitat.com. If you enjoyed her episode and want to get the complete breakdown of everything she shared, you can purchase episode notes here at learnwithkubi.gumroad.com.

You can find me on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or LinkedIn.

You can also join my email list for exclusive content and announcements: https://forms.gle/NYDFjWdwP9gCsSWWA

Today I sat down with Gianna Griffith, Client Operations Specialist in digital marketing and influencer partnerships, to break down what it really takes to get discovered and hired in today’s creator economy.

We talk about how brands use creator databases and keyword filters, why most creators get rejected even with strong content, what brands look for when evaluating creator partnerships, and how positioning affects your discoverability. Gianna also shares what separates creators who get one-off deals from those who build long-term brand relationships and how communication impacts your ability to get rebooked.

If you’re a creator trying to land brand deals—or turn one-off collaborations into repeat partnerships—this episode gives you clarity on how the system actually works behind the scenes.

More Resources

If you enjoyed Gianna’s episode and want to get the complete breakdown of everything she shared, you can purchase their episode notes at learnwithkubi.gumroad.com.

You can find me on Instagram,TikTok,YouTube, and LinkedIn, or join my email list for exclusive content and announcements at https://forms.gle/NYDFjWdwP9gCsSWWA.

Today I sat down with Frank Poe, creator economy attorney and founder of Poe Law PLLC, to break down what creators actually need to know about contracts, licensing, negotiations, and protecting themselves in brand partnerships.

We talk about usage rights, licensing vs. usage, revision clauses, and how brands and creators negotiate power within deals. Frank also shares why creators should think like businesses and the biggest legal mistakes creators make when signing contracts.

If you’re a creator trying to understand creator contracts—or avoid signing away rights you don’t fully understand—this episode gives you a practical breakdown of how creator-brand deals actually work behind the scenes.

More Resources

Connect with Frank on LinkedIn or learn more about his work at poelaw.co. If you enjoyed their episode and want to get the complete breakdown of everything she shared, you can purchase episode notes here at learnwithkubi.gumroad.com.

You can find me, Kubi, on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or LinkedIn. You can also join my email list for exclusive content and announcements: https://forms.gle/NYDFjWdwP9gCsSWWA

Today I sat down with Sabreen Haziq, Brand Editorial & Go-To-Market Lead at Buffer, to break down how creator marketing actually works behind the scenes—and what separates creators who land consistent brand deals from those who don’t.

We talk about how brands really choose creators, why audience alignment matters more than follower count, what “good performance” actually looks like in campaigns, and how the entire system is shifting toward long-term partnerships instead of one-off influencer posts. Sabreen also shares what creators need to understand about metrics, negotiation, usage rights, and the emotional reality of building a creator career in public.

If you’re a creator trying to land brand deals—or understand how to position yourself in this space—this episode gives you the real structure behind it all.

More Resources

Connect with Sabreen on LinkedIn or sabreen.info. If you enjoyed their episode and want to get the complete breakdown of everything she shared, you can purchase episode notes here at learnwithkubi.gumroad.com.

You can find me on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or LinkedIn. You can also join my email list for exclusive content and announcements: https://forms.gle/NYDFjWdwP9gCsSWWA

Today I sat down with Olivia, a seasoned brand and influencer marketing strategist formerly of the Sterling Rice Group, to pull back the curtain on how brand deals actually happen. We move past the surface-level advice and dive into the "why" behind brand selections—explaining why audience alignment is a non-negotiable, the specific metrics that actually catch a brand manager's eye (hint: it's not just likes), and why Olivia views the most successful creators as partners rather than just influencers. 

Connect with Olivia on LinkedIn or purchase their episode notes here at learnwithkubi.gumroad.com.

Connect with me on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or LinkedIn. Join my email list for brand deal announcements and more: https://forms.gle/NYDFjWdwP9gCsSWWA

Most creators are guessing when it comes to brand deals. They’re guessing on their rates, guessing on their pitches, and hoping for a "yes."

I’m Kubi. By day, I’m a Marketing Manager seeing the deals from the agency side. By night, I’m a creator educator helping you win them. On this show, I’m bringing in the industry’s top experts to stop the guesswork. From high-level positioning to the final signature, this is your one-stop masterclass for the business of content creation.

You’ve got the content. Now, let’s get the deal. Welcome to Learn With Kubi.